Variable Surface Conditions

We rode into Fairy Lake and climbed up to the Great One. Surface conditions ranged from gloppy, wet snow to firm, dry wind slabs with very little powder in between. There had been a fair amount of wind-slab and wet loose avalanche activity in the area over the weekend, but things were quite today. We had a report of a human-triggered wind slab avalanche in the Great One on Saturday. 

By 11:00 AM a layer of high clouds moved overhead and limited the melt-down input from the sun. Ambient temperatures reaching 50 degrees F didn't do the snow quality any favors at mid and low elevations but additionally didn't result in any natural wet snow avalanches that I saw. 

Wind-slabs were relatively thin (a couple inches to 8" thick). We did get cracking in a few drifts that was limited to the area directly influenced by our skis. We dug at the top of the Great One with unremarkable results and proceeded down the run. 

Tomorrow looks to be cooler with limited snow accumulation. If this forecast pans out, triggering an avalanche will be unlikely. Let's hope for more snow than is in the forecast!